Woman Enthusiast

Murkrose is a warrior and the future deputy of BirchClan, a clan that lives in a massive birch forest bordering the arctic circle. Murkrose had a tumultuous childhood, including her father dying in a bloody war and her sister being kidnapped by twolegs, but she eventually found her place in BirchClan's hierarchy as a stoic and down-to-earth voice of reason. Eventually she found a mate, Moondusk, and the two had a son, Alderdapple.

However, Moondusk and Alderdapple turned up dead, half-eaten by something similar to - but not quite - a cat. Murkrose promised her family to get to the bottom of this mystery, and bring the creature to justice, even if she had to sacrifice her own peace of mind and sanity to do so.

I'd like to think Rootkit is found a few moons after the attack, before Murkrose had all the clues but after she had lost everything she cared for. She took in the lost little kit, believing her to be a sign from her late mate that she could still do some good in the world, even if Murkrose's mother sees the kit as a bad omen. Murkrose has promised Rootkit that she won't fail again, and that this time, things will be different.

Eventually, Root would grow up learning Murkrose's ideology of justice and vengeance above peace, and the two may even battle the creature together, discovering that it was a starving lynx driven out of its old territory by the recent re-introduction of grey wolves to that ecosystem.